


everything is color

by autoeuphoric (FreezingRayne)



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: For Science!, Kissing, Multi, Xeno, human romance sure is weird
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 15:12:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14957004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreezingRayne/pseuds/autoeuphoric
Summary: “You must have seen humans kiss before,” Rilla muses. “You haven’t spent your entire life in that swamp.”





	everything is color

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by kevin and ryan calling damien and arum "smooch fellows" in one of the commentaries, which got me thinking...do lizards smooch?

The three of them are lounging by the river on a glorious summer afternoon when they get on the subject of kissing. Rilla can’t recall precisely how the conversation meanders in that direction, only that it does. She is lying with her head in Arum’s lap, idly braiding together bunches of herbs as he strokes clawed fingers through her hair. 

“You must have seen humans kiss before,” Rilla muses. “You haven’t spent your entire life in that swamp.” 

Damien chuckles into a closed fist. He sits nearby against the trunk of a slender tree, the journal Rilla had given him on his last nameday open on his knee. He is composing, but every so often he will look up to give the two of them a blissfully besotted smile. Rilla--who has had repeated exposure to this sort of adoration--takes it in stride, but Arum still bears the full brunt of it. It sends him into a cascade of agitated little chitters in his throat. 

Or--not his throat. His voice comes from lower in his chest than that. Rilla has had her hands all over him, but she has yet to understand the first thing about how he vocalizes nearly the same way a human does, even with such utterly disparate anatomy. Arum claims his biology is magical in nature; Rilla claims he just doesn’t understand the science. So far he hasn’t allowed her to perform any tests, but she is confident she’ll wear him down. She has her ways. 

“As much as it may surprise you to learn, Amaryllis, I don’t spend my time peeking into humans’ drawing room windows.” 

“No, you stick to breaking into their queen’s bedchamber in the dead of night.” Rilla has been much regaled with the story of her man meeting her monster. 

This time the clicks are embarrassed. Rilla can’t parse all of his sub-vocalizations, but that one she has down. 

“Yes, well. What I meant was--of course I’ve seen humans kiss. I just don’t understand the grander purpose to the act. As part of a mating ritual, yes, I expect it has merit--monsters have many such rituals that lead up to the act of coupling. But you two are already paired! What use is it to put your mouths together?” His claws leave Rilla’s hair and the shadows of four arms begin gesticulating wildly across the grass. “It isn’t even part of your reproductive process!” 

“Well, neither are you,” Rilla remarks. “And I put my mouth on you anyway.” 

Arum blusters, his frill expanding wide enough for her to see it in her peripheral vision. 

“I think what you’re trying to say is...you haven’t seen it put to enough rigorous scientific inquiry.” Rilla bites down on her smile. “Hey, Damien?” 

“Yes, Rilla my love?” 

He responds at once, but with enough thoughtful distance to tell Rilla he hasn’t been attending to anything but his poetry. 

“It seems the lord of the swamp has a scientific quandary, and it’s my duty as a researcher to assist him. Will you help?” 

Damien smiles nervously, unsure of what is going on. “But of course, my flower.” He closes his journal and sets it carefully aside. 

“Amaryllis, this isn’t necessary--.” 

“Come here, Damien.” 

She reaches for him, not quite leaving the circle of Arum’s arms. Damien’s eyes flick from her, to Arum, and back again. He may live with his head in the clouds, but he’s no simpleton. He can read a room. 

“Kiss me,” Rilla says, and he does, falling into her arms with a sound of blissful surrender. Damien knows when to fight, but he also knows when to yield. His fingers come up to brush her face, and Rilla loses herself in the ease and familiarity of his touch. Then Arum lets out a lingering trill and warmth blooms through Rilla’s core. 

Their dalliances with Arum have left Rilla with a whole new set of data in regards to Damien, but also in regards to herself. She never realized, for instance, how much she enjoys having an audience. Damien likes it as well, and he also likes Arum’s casual reminders that with the right leverage even knightly strength can be rendered useless. And four arms can lend you plenty of leverage. 

Not that there was anything unfulfilling about her and Damien’s relationship, but...if you ever want to liven up your bedroom activities, Rilla recommends the addition of a giant lizard. Arum can give Damien what Rilla herself is not equipped to offer. 

When she and Damien pull apart, she is gratified to discover Arum is just as breathless as they are. 

“Perhaps there is merit to...to science after all.” Arum’s already rasping voice is full of holes. 

“ _Perhaps_?” Rilla scoffs. “I think this calls for further trials.” 

Damien brushes a kiss across her knuckles. “I confess I am unsure exactly what you are quarrelling over, but I am always happy to assist either of you in whatever pursuit you…” He trails off as one of Arum’s hands settles on the back of his neck, long fingers splayed to scrape a claw over the ball of his throat. 

“Quiet now, Honeysuckle. The grownups are talking.” 

“I find that both insulting a-and--.” Damien’s voice collapses into breath for a moment. Rilla has always loved how his skin is just light enough to show a blush. “Untrue. Or...unsure, unwise…” 

“You’re babbling, Honeysuckle.” 

Damien presses his lips to Arum's knuckles this time. “So--so I am.” 

Rilla laughs. Then she leans in and puts that lovely mouth to further good use. All in the name of science, of course.


End file.
